


Waiting in the Wings

by seraphwrites (flightoftheseraph)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel Dean Winchester, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hunter Castiel, Hurt Castiel, M/M, Mild Blood, reverse!verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-19 10:17:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13702443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightoftheseraph/pseuds/seraphwrites
Summary: Castiel an injured hunter stumbles into a town and meets an angel who may just have be having the same rotten luck he is.





	Waiting in the Wings

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my idea for the Hey Sweetheart challenge! Thank you to icarusinflight for betaing this for me! 
> 
> Also posted on tumblr [here](https://seraphwrites.tumblr.com/post/171040063572/pairing-destiel-tags-huntercastiel-angeldean)

Castiel was exhausted, the gusts of wind blowing right to his skin despite the several layers he was wearing. He pulled his outer closer to his body to shield at least some of the cold. He was hoping that he could get somewhere warm soon.

Pulling his coat tight and wrapping his arms around his body, he considered where he should go. A quick check of his watch stated it was 2am which limited his options - there weren't a lot of places open at this time. The hunter considered his options for a moment; if he could just get to one of the late night diners he'd be able to to find shelter, there had to be one open this late at night - or this early in the morning.

Castiel winced as he walked down the hard cement street. He hadn’t exactly thought out this hunt particularly well and with every painful step he took he was cursing his inability to really think anything through.

He didn’t think that hunting ghosts was a smart choice in any case really, especially not alone. All things considered he’d gotten extremely lucky and he’d been able to take it down without a fatal injury. Castiel wasn't the praying type, but he said a little prayer of thanks for his good fortune - even if his luck had almost run out this time.

But he hadn’t made it out entirely uninjured, and he was suffering for it now. Castiel clutched the side of his arm where warm blood was still pooling over his fingers (and he was sure several of them were sprained—if not broken). The bitter cold of the night cut into the injury and Castiel didn’t have much in the way of a First Aid Kit. He certainly knew that if there was a diner of some kind that was open around here they wouldn’t take too kindly to him patching himself up in the middle of their business.

Castiel sighed, this was not _his_ night. But it was his own fault, he reminded himself. His left arm was essentially useless and it hung limp at his side as he searched through his pockets and found nothing but crumpled dollar bills and not much else. He had no idea how he was going to get to his car, let alone how he would drive.

However, knowing his luck he was going to run into to another monster of some kind. He tried to ignore the thoughts telling him it would happen and that end up worse off—or dead.  

Castiel grumbled to himself and made his way towards the center of town. The wind didn’t let up as he made his way slowly, making Castiel regret ever going on this ridiculous hunt on his own again. His phone illuminated the darkness of the street and kept him from tripping over his own feet. The display read that he only 7% battery life left. _Wonderful._

He put his phone in his pocket to save as much battery as possible. The streets were quiet, the orange and white lights from the cars and street lamps were the hunter’s only source of light.

The walk was short, Castiel sighed in relief, the main street of this unknown town he’d rolled into to wasn’t filled with much other than empty and broken storefronts. He stared sadly at his reflection, fractured by the broken glass, frowning at his reflection.

He walked further down street, one street lamp shone down on a bench. Castiel sat down and sighed he wouldn't find a much better place. He pulled bandages from inside his jacket pocket. He bandaged his arm as best as he could with his injured hand. It wasn't much but it was something.

Castiel stood up again and when he was done he figured it was best to move on. There wasn’t much else to do but wander the streets until morning, or find an open business of some kind. Castiel sighed, at least his arm had stopped bleeding.

Castiel reached behind his back for his gun, and checking to make sure he still had his knife just to be certain.

He stumbled into a side alley, casting his gaze around the dark alley, he noticed a barely visible figure at the back almost hidden by the shadows. Castiel was in no condition to fight and he was definitely incapable of running again.

Castiel glared into the darkness, of the alley

“Hey sweetheart, looking for me?” a voice called from the blackness.

Castiel swung his gun over towards the sound of the voice, ready and willing to shoot. He saw a man, sitting on crate near the wall, smiling at him with glittering green eyes.

Castiel lowered his gun, and raised an eyebrow and squinted further at the person in front of him, “Do I know you?”

Now it was the other man’s turn to raise an eyebrow, “No, figured you’re a hunter and you were here to axe me, ” he replied.

Castiel was instantly suspicious, “What are you?

“Halo, name’s Dean,” he said, pointing to his head. An _angel_ , Castiel narrowed his eyes at the being in front of him, “What are you doing here then?” he grumbled.

Castiel didn’t notice until then that the angel—Dean apparently—was covered in cuts and bruises and had a large bruise on the side of his face and he looked tired and exhausted for a celestial creature. He was dressed in black dress pants and a collared shirt which was covered in blood as well.

Castiel hadn’t seen an angel for a long time, and his knowledge was limited but one thing he did remember is that they usually weren’t the kindest creatures around. Which was saying a lot Castiel considered he got almost torn apart by a ghost.

“Well what are doing this lovely Valentine’s night?” Castiel didn’t even realize it was Valentine’s but a quick check of his phone confirmed the date was now February 14th.  

“I almost got torn apart by a ghost", Dean raised his eyebrows at that.

Castiel continued, “It was actually a ghost, and it scratched me up pretty bad. I ran as far as I could, and then I ended up here. I need to get back to my car but I have no clue where that might be.”

‘Well if you’re lost I might be able to help?” Dean offered.

Castiel stared suspiciously at the Angel. Dean was already injured and while Castiel didn’t have an angel blade on him he could definitely stab, shoot or severely injure the angel if he tried anything. But somehow he doubted he would, but it was in his nature to be cautious. He just stared at Dean, unsure.

“I’ve been around this city for a few days and it’s probably for the best I leave anyways,” Dean said. Castiel raised an eyebrow, in confusion.

“I’m trapped here,” Dean admitted, sighing. He laid his head in his hands, groaning as he did so. Castiel didn’t know what he had meant by that. “Earth, at least for a couple more days.”

“You got cast out of Heaven?”

“More or less,” Dean shrugged. “I’m not able to heal myself and I ran into some not so friendly demons, who kicked my ass.” Dean almost looked humiliated by that. Dean’s eyes glowed bright green and then fizzled out as he tried to heal the wounds on his side. Dean winced and cursed under his breath, looking embarrassed.

“I’m pretty much powerless.”

“Oh,” Castiel didn’t know what to say to that.

Castiel considered, he could wander around lost and risk his injury getting worse—or—he could let Dean help him. He had no phone, no bandages and really no other options. Castiel sighed.

“Fine,” Castiel said, glaring. Dean walked out of the alley, leading the way down the way that Castiel had walked from.

Castiel walked slowly behind, glaring, Dean didn’t say anything at first and Castiel appreciated the silence. He held his arm more tightly, which just served to hurt his other hand more. The bleeding seemed to have stopped, but his arm was still throbbing. He clenched his teeth in pain.

“Where are we going anyways?” Dean said.

Castiel winced as they stepped back into the windy street, “Near the highway, there was a convenience store I think...” He had just leaped out of his car practically and the rest was a blur. Castiel did recall the neon lights of a store as he ran.

Dean had stopped and turned around to stare at Castiel, hands in his pockets. “You okay?” he said, with a look of genuine concern, Castiel nodded, trying to hide the pain.

Castiel tried to keep up as best he could, Dean expertly maneuvered through the streets which all seemed to look exactly the same. They ended up on another main road and then he turned down another street Castiel didn’t recognize. Castiel wasn't surprised when Dean broke the silence.

“Apparently, my family doesn’t take too kindly to not falling in line, they wanted me to kill an innocent. Said no. I was kicked out for a few days, and they just threw me down here so they wouldn’t have to deal with me.”

“I’ve managed to get here and then _ugh_ ,” Dean said, his hands in pockets his expression tense and pinched and somewhat angry, “I’m a target and until I can get a way back I’m just running and trying not to get murdered, not sure if I should even bother,” Dean said gruffly, the last part under his breath.

Castiel didn’t know how to respond to that. “I’m sorry they’re treating you that way,” he said, which made Dean look up, his expression surprised.

“It’s my own fault, shouldn’t have been an idiot,” Dean said, a little cryptically. Castiel wasn’t sure if he should press the issue, even with his growing curiosity. Instead Castiel decided to change the subject.

“How did you end up in the middle of nowhere?” Castiel asked.

Dean gave him a look. “Probably the same reason you did, I just ran to the nearest quiet town, considering flying is out of the question.”

“Oh.” Castiel supposed it did make sense, he didn’t even know where they were exactly, so he settled for the silence.

Castiel wasn’t sure how long he’d been running fo They both started walking away from the center of town and towards the highway. He followed quietly behind, somehow it felt a little less terrifying, even though he was still on edge.

Dean walked beside him and Castiel was glad to have at least one person, or being really, to walk with. They walked around and Castiel lost track of the time, sometimes Dean talked but most times he didn’t and Dean seemed to enjoy the silence as much as Castiel did.

The night quickly faded, and was replaced by the slightly warmer sunshine, Castiel was relieved that the cold of the night had left them behind. They made there down empty roads and sidewalks, various Valentine’s day decoration littered the storefronts and Castiel wondered how he had lost track of the date.

Dean sighed,

They reached Castiel had abandoned after the ghost had chased him, it was in the parking lot of a small shopping center in the middle of nowhere. He spotted the husk of a vehicle, illuminated under the hazy light of the convenience store.

Dean hesitated and leaned against the wall, Castiel felt guilty leaving Dean here in the middle of nowhere.

“Thank you, Dean, I appreciate it a lot,” Castiel said.

Dean stood next to the car. “No problem, happy to help.”

Castiel got in the car gingerly, mindful of his wounds. He wondered where Dean was going to go, he had been so kind and unlike the few angels Cas had previously dealt with, it had been a bright spot in this horrible rotten day. He smiled, “Bye Dean”. Castiel started the car and turned to pull, waving.

Castiel started the car and turned the steering wheel to pull out, wary of his injured hand, as he started to drive away, he took a moment to look for Dean, spotting him leaning against the storefront.  
  
Castiel gave the angel a final wave, and Dean returned the gesture with a smile.

Castiel drove out of the parking lot and turned out of the road back towards the motel he'd was staying in. He sighed happy that his rotten evening had turned out well.

The hunter drove into the sunset, thankful he had finally ran into an goodluck in the form of an angel.

 

**_End._ **

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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